Useful Information / Welcome Notes for El Barco

Siena, John, and I are delighted that you found your way to paradise! Here in San Pablo Etla you will find nature aplenty: fresh air, a perfect climate, spectacular views, scenic hiking, fantastic bird watching, cool swimming, and plenty of relaxation in a hammock listening to cicadas. We want you to feel at home here, so below you will find a few tips for enjoying your stay. For future bookings at a discount, please contact me directly at [email protected].

(Note: The Casita has a slightly modified version of these welcome notes customized for the Casita. Please find them here.)

HIKING, BIKING AND BIRDING:

There’s lots of hiking on burro trails in the hills above El Barco. Nearly wherever you go, a trail will appear. Some, however, are much better than others! Use our rough hiking map to get you started. Don’t worry if you lose a trail; another will usually appear. If it’s the rainy season (early June – late September), bring a rain jacket in the afternoon. Bring plenty of water at all times of year, as the hill is steep enough to make you sweat.

Also check out our pages on Local Activities, including Bill’s bird list and Adele’s favorite activities in Oaxaca.

WATER:

During the long dry season (October through May), there is a water shortage in Oaxaca, so please only use what you need. Our tap water comes from a spring in the mountains and is filtered on the property, so it’s fine for showering. But it’s not fully purified, so please do not drink it directly. There are containers of purified water in the house and a tap for fully potable filtered water on the right side of the kitchen sink. Additional “garafons” of pure water are around the corner outside the kitchen.

INTERNET/WiFi:

Our current internet service is fiber optic and delivers about 50 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. As of spring 2023, you’ll find two router systems for WiFi depending on where you are. For the main house, use the “Eero” routers; password: champia2. The Primary Suite is on INFINITUM4435; password: sXYN4MFTN7. If you have any trouble please ask our manager, Florencio, who installed and maintains the systems.

CLEANING:

Housekeeping is provided twice a week, currently Monday and Wednesday from about 9am to 3pm. If you need cleaning on another day or would prefer no housekeeping, please inform Florencio ahead of time and we will do our best to accommodate. (FYI, we’re trying to switch the Wednesday cleaning to Thursday, which may happen by the time you read this; please ask Florencio for an update.)

GARDENING AND WATERING:

Malena, our gardener, will pass through 2-3 times each week to water the plants and take care of the gardens. If she is in the area at an inconvenient time for you, please just ask her to return later (“mas tarde, por favor” – “later, please”). If she is using noisy power tools and you’d prefer quiet, please let her know (“menos ruido, por favor” – “less noise, please”).

GARBAGE:

Garbage typically goes out on Mondays. Please put your garbage in the can around the corner from the front door. Separate glass, cans, and PET (plastic soda bottles) into another bag for recycling.

PARKING:

El Barco has its own parking space within the compound just outside the house entrance. You are welcome to park your car there; otherwise, please park only outside the gate.

POOL:

The pool is shared by 3 houses and their friends. We ask that you be considerate of other people, especially regarding noise. If you have young children, please do not leave them unsupervised. As the deck at the edge of the pool is very slippery when wet, please refrain from running or horsing around.

The pool closes at 11 pm. Please, NO GLASS in or near the pool (use El Barco’s plastic wine and drinking glasses instead). There are lights at the pool if you want to spend the evening; please turn off all the lights when you leave. The full set of pool rules is at the bottom of this page.

WASHING CLOTHES:

Feel free to use the washer in the little room past the primary suite and “studio” (a.k.a. Abrazo Style’s office). To conserve energy, please hang your clothes to dry on the line below the suite whenever the weather allows (nearly always!). Use the dryer only when you must.

TAXIS / TRANSPORTATION:

You can find us on Google Maps as “Casa El Barco” in San Pablo Etla, Oaxaca. Their directions are good, including full photographic coverage!

Our pueblo has wonderful drivers who speak English. Please ask Florencio for current driver info. Also, Florencio sometimes provides driving services and/or may be able to help arrange day trips, depending on your needs. It is approximately 250 pesos (sometimes a bit more) to Centro Oaxaca in a private taxi. For more of an adventure, you can walk or moto-taxi to the Monumento at the 4-lane highway and pick up either a sitio (collective taxi) or the bus into Centro. To reach the bottom of the hill, you can walk (~30 min), call a moto taxi, or flag one along Camino al Seminario (the main access road). The price to the Monumento should be 10-15 pesos. (Ask Florencio for updates on phone numbers of taxi drivers, etc. as they change frequently. Ask the driver to come to “la casa ‘El Barco’, en El Camino al Seminario” to pick you up or drop you off; if they need more info, tell them it’s on a privada on “Calle Rio Sapo”).

TV / DVD:

There is a selection of DVDs in the main house bedroom’s armoire. This armoire also has a smart TV; please sign in using your own accounts.

CATERING:

Catering is available if you would like to order a traditional meal. Florencio and his wife Sarai offer catering services if their time allows. See Florencio for details.

EATING OUT AND GROCERY SHOPPING:

We’re lucky that a little restaurant opened within walking distance. It’s at the “Quatro Caminos” (“4 streets”, a.k.a. “4 Corners”), about 10 minutes walk downhill on Camino al Seminario. It’s rustic and good. Current hours are 8am to 4pm everyday except they’re closed on Saturday. Next door is a tiendita for vegetables and sundries. If they don’t have what you’re after, keep checking tienditas all the way down to Viguera (the town at the bottom of the hill). At the Monumento, there’s a much bigger grocery store with wine and liquor (Pitico).

We recommend sterilizing all fruits and vegetables with the iodine drops you will find in the kitchen. We use about 5-10 drops of iodine per liter of tap water and let the fruits/veggies soak for about 30 minutes. (The fruits and vegetables in the house when you arrive are sterilized.)

PETS:

We are delighted to welcome your well-behaved furry family members. Please dispose of their waste into the brush and don’t leave them locked in the house for extended periods of time. We also request that they be kept leashed and/or under close supervision and voice control when in the common areas of the compound. Please do not allow them on the furniture, either indoors or out.

FLOWERS:

A lady and her child typically travel the neighborhood on Saturdays with a wheelbarrow full of amazing flowers. We always buy several bundles to fill the house with floral beauty. You can also buy spectacular flowers cheaply at the markets.

SECURITY:

Our compound should be secure, but just to be safe, we recommend locking the house when you leave and locking your car at night, as well as securing your valuables in the house’s lock box.

PATIO FURNITURE:

PLEASE take great care to not spill anything on it or abuse it by letting children or pets play on it without covering it. (Blankets in the closets.) And please leave it where it is, protected from sun and rain. Thank you!

TOILET:

As in most of rural Mexico, it’s best not to flush your used paper down the toilet, as it challenges old plumbing. Use the lined garbage cans by the toilets instead. Don’t worry if you occasionally flush toilet paper, but please, nothing else besides the obvious or there will be problems.

DIRECTIONS:

You can find us on Google Maps as “Casa El Barco” in San Pablo Etla, Oaxaca. Their directions are good, including full photographic coverage!

See the dedicated page for full verbal directions to El Barco here, including a map.

OUR STAFF:

Florencio, Rosa, and Malena are here to make your stay a pleasant one. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask Florencio. If you are happy with the services of our staff, a tip would be appreciated and can be left upon departure.

ASSISTANCE:

Our wonderful manager Florencio is a neighbor and is available for any questions. His cell is 951-110-2813 (Mexico country code: 044). His English is excellent. Depending on his schedule, he may be available for special assistance (driving, shopping, etc) at a cost to be arranged directly with him.

If you need assistance beyond what Florencio can provide, please feel free to email Adele at [email protected] or, if it’s urgent, call me in Oregon at +1-541-490-9050. Our goal is to make your stay at El Barco wonderful!

Bienvenidos!
Adele, John, and Siena

PS: Thank you for not smoking in the house.

Please follow these rules around the pool:

1. No glass; you’ll find nice-looking plastic glasses for wine and water in the El Barco kitchen

2. Shower before entry. There’s a cold shower left of the palapa, or shower indoors.

3. The pool is shallow (1.5m / 5 ft) and has steps, so it’s best not to dive.

4. Please keep your dog out of the pool.

5. No smoking at the pool.

6. Sound travels easily from our hilltop, so please keep the volume down so as not to annoy the neighbors.

7. There is a restroom down the stairs behind the pool.